Navarre Scott Momaday (born 1934) is a Kiowa-Cherokee writer from Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona.[1]
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Background
He is the son of the writer Natachee Scott Momaday and the painter Al Momaday, and was born on February 27, 1934 at the Kiowa-Comanche Indian Hospital in Lawton, Oklahoma, United States. He is enrolled in the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma but also has Cherokee heritage from his mother.[1]
Writing career
Momaday's novel House Made of Dawn led to the breakthrough of Native American literature into the mainstream. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1969.
Bibliography
- The Journey of Tai-me (1967)
- House Made of Dawn (1968)
- The Way to Rainy Mountain (1969) (illustrated by his father, Alfred Momaday)
- Angle of Geese (1974)
- The Gourd Dancer (1976)
- The Names: A Memoir (1976)
- The Ancient Child (1989)
- In the Presence of the Sun (1992)
- The Native Americans: Indian County (1993)
- The Indolent Boys (play) world premiere Syracuse Stage 1993-94 season
- Circle of Wonder: A Native American Christmas Story (1994)
- The Man Made of Words: Essays, Stories, Passages (1997)
- In the Bear's House (1999)
Honors
He was also featured in the Ken Burns and Stephen Ives' documentary, The West, for his masterful retelling of Kiowa history and legend. Momaday is also featured in another PBS documentary concerning the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Momaday is the Oklahoma Centennial Poet Laureate[2] He has most recently been awarded a 2007 National Medal of Arts by former President George W. Bush.[3]
Recent activities
Momaday founded and operates the Rainy Mountain Foundation[4] and Buffalo Trust, a nonprofit organization working to preserve native cultures.[5] He paints in watercolors and illustrated his own book, In the Bear's House.
The author has struggled with diabetes and is currently housebound and cared for by Coming Home Connection of Santa Fe.[6]
Quotes
- "I sometimes think the contemporary white American is more culturally deprived than the Indian."[7]
- "I simply kept my goal in mind and persisted. Perseverance is a large part of writing."[7]
See also
- List of writers from peoples indigenous to the Americas
- Native American Renaissance
- Native American Studies
References & notes
- ^ a b Steed, Patricia L. "Momaday, N. Scott (1934-)." Oklahoma Historical Society's Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (retrieved 14 Dec 2009)
- ^ Van Deventer, M. J. "Bush adding to poet's honors." Daily Oklahoman. 15 Nov 2007 (retrieved 14 Dec 2009)
- ^ http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/11/20071114-7.html
- ^ "Santa Fe NM 87505 - Tax Exempt Organizations." Tax Exempt World. (retrieved 14 Dec 2009)
- ^ Staff, January 2009, "N. Scott Momaday", Smithsonian Q&A, Vol. 39, Issue 10, 25 pgs., accessed = 04-25-2009
- ^ YoungBear-Tibbetts, Holly. "N. Scott Momaday in Need of Assistance. Joy Harjo's Poetic Adventures in the Last World. 9 Dec 2009 (retrieved 14 Dec 2009)
- ^ a b "N. Scott Momaday, PhD." Academy of Achievement. (retrieved 14 Dec 2009)
External links
- N. Scott Momaday from the Modern American Poetry site
- The Buffalo Trust - Momaday's non-profit charitable foundation
- Perspectives in American Literature - Momaday Bibliography
- Interview with Momaday
- Article about Momaday's selection as Poet Laureate of Oklahoma
- "N. Scott Momaday" by Martha Scott Trimble in the Western Writers Series Digital Editions
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